Oshun and the 5 Senses

Oshun (Osun, Ochún) is one of the most venerated Orishas. Every August since the year 1370, the 12-day “Osun Oshogbo festival” is held in south-west Nigeria to honor the river goddess where tens of thousands of devotees participate in the celebration culminating in a procession to the sacred grove. The procession follows the calabash carrier called “Arugba” as she carries the many offerings to Oshun. Devotees are cleansed and blessed during the festival by the healing waters of the grove. September 8^th and 12^th are days celebrated in the Americas, with the 12^th being the traditional day for Ifa followers.

Oshun is the Orisha of freshwaters including lakes, rivers, and streams. Water is essential to all living things, a human being cannot live without water for more than 5 days. She is associated with pure joy, love, prosperity and all the sweetness that life can bring.  She is kind and compassionate and known for her healing qualities.

To know Oshun, we need to understand how Oshun manifest herself through “sensuality” where life is experienced through the five senses, “touch”, “taste”, “smell”, “sight”, and “hearing”.  The number “5” is particularly significant in regards to Oshun, probably because of the reference to the five senses. Oshun teaches us that to really experience the joys of life, we need to allow ourselves to experience it through our senses. Our upbringing, values and society norms are sometimes a hindrance to our natural expressions as we become so conditioned to act a certain way to fit in, contrary to how we may actually feel. Look to Oshun to help you be yourself and enjoy life.

When we excite the 5 senses, we become passionate, creative and innovative, whether it be in our work, hobbies or other interests. The emotions triggered by the senses engulf our every mood, and our moods can change dramatically from moment to moment as our senses experience different stimuli, that is the nature of Oshun, forever changing like the flow of the river and on the move like a bee going from flower to flower.

She is known as the Orisha of fertility and women who wants to get pregnant or are having a difficult pregnancy will turn to Oshun for help. In our bodies, the energy of Oshun is felt in our abdomen region. The abdomen area also includes our digestive system, sexual organs, stomach, intestines, bladder, prostrate, liver, kidneys, gallbladder, pancreas, pelvis, and lower back. Oshun is known for her healing qualities and answers pleas for help, in particular to the afflicted abdomen area.

Sexuality is important manifestation of Oshun energy as it involves all five of our senses, it fulfills our desire for passion, feelings, pleasure, and intimacy. Oshun can help you with your intimate relationship issues, whether they involve expressions of sexuality, emotions or communications.

The children of Oshun are particularly sensitive to the experiences of the senses and will gravitate towards careers in the arts, theater, music, and dance. As well as culinary, fashion and any field that calls on creativity and innovation. It is because of this sensitivity that the Oshun children tend to respond in a way that’s more emotional and intuitive rather than logical and practical. That’s not to say its better or worse, rather an observation to understand diversity. Oshun children who are in touch with their feelings are happiest when they can be themselves and not have to conform, and this is the key to creativity and innovation. Children of Oshun should be careful with overindulgence of the senses.

Offerings to Oshun that represent the five senses:

Touch:

• Textiles (bright, soft and colorful): Silk scarf; chiffon; chenille; charmeuse.
• Feathers:  peacock (peacocks and vultures are sacred to Oshun); parrot feathers.
• Shells: cowrie; abalone.
• Gemstones: amber; citrine; tiger’s eye; carnelian; orange agate.
• Polished river stones.
• Beautiful Pottery.
• Gourds.

Taste:

• Greens: watercress (grows by the river’s edge); water chestnut (another aquatic plant); lettuce.
• Sweets: honey (always taste it first); cinnamon sticks; marmalade (a preserve made from citrus fruit like oranges); pastries (especially with cinnamon or lemon icing); carrot cake.
• Fruits: oranges; lemons; nectarines; persimmons; kumquats; mandarins; peaches; apricots; pineapple; coconut; cranberries; dry fruits.
• Vegetables: yams; sweet potatoes; pumpkin; yellow squash; carrots.
• Liquor: sweet vermouth; white and muscatel wine (sweet); Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur); rum
• Cooked foods: polenta; wild rice; yellow rice; fresh water shrimp (honey garlic shrimp dish).

Smell:

• Herbs: basil; parsley; mint; lemon balm; lavender; thyme; chamomile.
• Flowers/Plants: yellow roses (take out the thorns); lilac; jasmine.
• Incense; scented candles; perfume.

Sight:

• Reflective objects: hand-held mirrors; jewels.
• Metals: gold; copper.
• Flowers: water lilies; sunflowers.
• Colors: orange; yellow; amber (yellow-orange); chartreuse (yellow-green); peacock blue.
• Beautiful hand-craft art: fans; combs; drawings and paintings.

Hearing:

• Musical instruments:
  • Bell (use the bell in your Oshun altar to call her, also take it to the river and ring the bell at the water’s edge).
  • Bata drums.
  • Bongos.
  • “Agogo” (percussion instrument - small bell made of two metal cones).
  • “Sekere” (gourd surrounded by a net of beads).
  • “Seere” (gourd rattle use to call on the Orishas).
• Music: she loves music, singing and dance!
• Small fountain (sound of running water); nature sounds.

A final word, Oshun is my guardian Orisha and I love her. She has taught me to follow my own path and be myself, brought me prosperity and joy. Get to know her as well as your guardian Orisha. You can learn a lot about yourself from learning about your guardian Orisha.

Love and Blessings!  Javier Lujan {Babalawo Ifajuitan}